Vanity in design rides the cotton between Jakob Nielsen's butt, but keeps things from looking as predictable as suburbia. It is the feeling you get when you see something original that makes you laugh, cringe, wince, and cry for more. It is design that is full of itself, but approachable enough that I want more. I do not have to completely understand. I am invited to learn.

Vain designers create things that are full of themselves. This is appropriate sometimes, but often alienates the audience and prevents communication. I am not invited to learn, rather I am challenged to understand how to communicate. "Pretty" web sites that provide navigation as an afterthought often push the user away. My criticism is only meant to challenge the design community, not to single out a web site. I struggle with these issues on a daily basis.

Design needs balance. There is a fine line between inspiration and alienation.